Hay fork



May 31, 1932. JfN. GRBER HAY FORK Filed Jan. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet May 31, 1932- J. N. AGRABER x 1,851,085

` HAY FORK Filed Jan. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 31, 1932 JOHN N. GRABER, OF MINERAL POINT, WISCONSIN kHAY ronx Application filed January 14, 1931. Serial No. 508,647.

The invention relates generally to hay forks used for elevating and Vconveying hay and more particularly drop-tine type.

In this type of fork a plurality of arms are usually pivoted to a common head and each arm carries at its vfrei-i end a tine pivoted thereto and adapted to be latched in an operative position so as to carry a load in the fork. When the load is to be released, the latches of all of the tines are released by a suitable trip rope and thetines pivot downwardly and outwardly with respect to their arms Vvso as to permit the hay to drop from the fork. Such forks are often used to elevate and convey hay into a barn and when so used the fork is suspended from a traveling car riding on an over-head track. After the fork has been unloaded the caris moved so as to carry the fork out of the barn, and

when such movement is started the suspended fork'tends to swing beneath the car. It has been found that if the fork, when un-.p loa ded, is quite wide, it is liable to strike and damage the over-head track.

The primary object of the present invention is'toproduce an improved fork of this type adapted for convenient and efficient operation and in which the release of the tines causes the forkto assume a comparatively narrow, verticallyelongated form whereby to avoid damage to the track due to swinging' of the fork. Y

Another object is to provide an improved drop-tine fork having a large variation of capacity.

Another object is to provide such a fork.v

having a new and improved latch mechanism which is simple, compact, positive in its ac- 0 tion. and which is self-latching and adapted to be released with a minimum of effort.

An other object is to provide a fork of this character having a new and improved ary rangement of the flexible elements which op 4? crate the latches whereby to insure proper operation of the latches. V Y Y Another object is to provide an improved and simplilied construction in the head to which-the'arms of the .fork are connected.

D Other 'objects and advantages will become to such Jforks of they apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingy drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view yof a fork embodying the preferred form of the invention, with parts disposed in the positions normally occupied after the tines have been inserted into a body of hay.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fork with the parts in the positions occupied when a load is supported in the fork.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the parts in the positions occupied after a load has been released.

Fig.y i is a plan view showing the parts disposed in another loading position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental portion of Fig. 3.

, Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan'view showing the arrangement of the flexible elements utilized to release the latch devices.

F ig. 7 is an enlarged fragmental portion of one of the arms of the fork, taken in section along the line 7 -7 of Fig. 9 and showing the latch device in its active position.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 showing the latch device'in its inactive position.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view taken from the left-hand side of Fig. 7.

Fig. l0 is a view showing an alternative form of head construction, the view being taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. l1.

*Figa V11 is a side elevational view taken from the left-hand side of Fig. 10.

While Iliave shownin the accompanying drawings'and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment of the invention, together with one alternative `embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this disclosure is given for the purpose of illustrating the invention and is not intended as a limitation of the invention to the constructions disclosed. In the appended claims, I aim to vention.

` In the form chosen for disclosure herein the iork is adapted to be suspended from a suitable support land embodies a head 10 with a plurality of arms 1l each swivelably connected at one end to the head. Upon the free end of each arm 11, a curved tine 12 is pivotally mounted for movement from the loadsupporting position shown in Fig. 2 to a released position shown in Fig. 3, such movement being under control of latch devices 13 carried by each arm and releasable by a trip rope 14 operatively connected thereto.

The head 10, in its preferred form, is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and comprises a plate of circular form having a ring 15 secured centrally thereon, by means of which the head may be suspended. At spaced points about' its edge the plate has a plurality of spaced openings 16 through the medium of which the arms 11 are connected to the head.

Each arm 11 preferably comprises a pair of flat bars 17 secured together in spaced relation at their upper ends by means including bolts 18. The connections between the arms 11 and the head k10 are preferably of such a character that the arms may be rotated to a limited extent about their longitudinal axes whereby to .permit the pointed ends of the tines 12 to be shifted laterally in the loading operation. It will bennderstood that in case it is desired to load a large quantity of hay, the tines are forced downwardly into the mass of hay in the relation shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The head 10 is then raised so as to cause the arms and the tines to assume the load su pjinorting position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As the head 1.0 is raised, the pointed ends of the tines may be drawn f7' acro the bottom of a rack (not shown) and by rotating the arms 11 it is possible for the operator to avoid catching the tines between the boards which form the bottom of the rack. It may also be desirable under other circum stances to load a compara-tively small quany tity of hay and by rotating the arms so as to position the tines as shown in Fig. 4 such a small quantity may be loaded. This positioning of the tines enables the operator to use the fork to clear the bottom of the rack since a substantial portion of each tine is located closely adjacent to the bottom of the rack. The quantity of hay loaded may also be varied by shifting the arms 11 about the if head in a horizontal plane.

To provide for such rotational movement of the arms, a ylink 19 is inserted through each of the openings 16 of the plate and each link is extended between the bars 17 of one of the t' arms 11 and about the bolt 18 thereof. Thus,

by making the opening 16 somewhat larger than the cross sectional area of the links 19, this construction permits rotational movement of the arms to a limited extent. In the l present case the arms may be rotated through about 45 about their longitudinal axes and it will be seen that the arms are retained substantially in the desired relation to each other so as to facilitate the use of the fork.

The latch devices 13 are preferably mounted between the bars 17 of the arms 11 adjacent to the free ends thereof so as to maintain the bars 17 in spaced relation. As shown in det-ail in Figs. 7 to 9, the latch devices 13 are preferably self-latching in character and are arranged to act upon the ends 20 of the t-ines which project beyond the pivots 21 at substantially right anglesrto the main body of the tines. 'The elements of each latch 13 are preferably mounted between two triangular plates y.22 fixed in opposed relation between the bars 17 of each arm 11, and when the tines 12 are in their load-supporting positions, the ends 2O thereof project between the plates 22as shown in Fig. 7.

To insure proper operation of the latch devices 13 even when a yheavy load is carried bythe fork, the latch devices are preferably arranged to be released by a comparatively small force. To this end each latch device 13 has two movable latch members 23 and 24, the first one of which is arranged to act or. the end 20 of the tine, while the second one acts to control movement of the first latch member 23 between its active and inactive positions. In the form shown herein, both latch members are pivot-ally mounted between the plates 22 and extend transversely across the arm 11. The tirst latch member 23 is pivoted at 25 adjacent the outer (left-hand edge in Fig. 7) edges of the plates 22 and extends across the end arm 11 so that a lug 2G on the inner end of the member 23 may, in the active position of the latch (Fig. 7),

extend around the end 20 of the tine to maintain the tine in its load-supporting position.

It will be seen that the lug 26 of the latch member 23 is engaged by the tine at a point which lies below the pivot point 25 so that it receives from the tine a. force tending to 12, and in accomplishing this end the member TL'I 24 is preferably arranged to act through a lever arm in the member 23 of substantially greater length than the lever arm of the force exerted on the member 23 by the tine. This arrangen'ient serves to reduce the force required to release the latch.

To this end the latch member 23 has a pro jection 27 thereon extending in the opposite direction from the lug 2G and adapted to be engaged by the latch member 24 at a substantial distance from the pivot 25. The latch member r24 is, in the present case,pivoted at 28 to the .plates 22 adjacent the outer edge thereof and at a point spaced from the pivot it has a lug 29 with a surface 30 thereon 30 is formed substantiallyconcentric withY the pivot 2S, while the surface 31 lies substantially in a r'adial planey extending from the axis 25. With this formation of the surfaces 30 and 31, the latch member 24 may be drawn to its inoperative position while the latch member 23 and the tine 12 remain stationary.

This disposition of the surfaces 3() and 31 also causes the force exerted by the latch member 23 on the member 24 when Vthey are in their active positions to be directed toward the pivot 28 whereby to avoid all tendency of the latch member 24 to release under the load. T'o press the latch member 24 to itsy active position angexpansive coil spring 32 is mounted in a housing 33 between the plates 22 so as to act on the member 24.

In the release of the latchv device, the member 23 andthe tine. 12 remain stationary until the lug'29 has moved out of the path of the projection 27, whereupon the force exerted on the .member 23 by the tine 12 pivots the member 23 toits inactive position (Fig. 8) andthe tine is moved by the load to its inoperative position. After the load has dropped from Vthe fork, all of the arms 11 drop to substantially vertical positions (Fig. 3) and they fork assumesa comparatively narrow, vertically elongated form.

As above mentioned, each latch device 13 is preferably arranged so that the return movement of its tine l12 to load-supporting position automatically causes the latch device to assume its active relation to the tine. this end the member 23 is normally urged toward its inactiveV position by a torsion spring 34 acting between'the two members 23 and 24, and in addition, the member 24 is arranged to act on the member 23 to maintain it yieldingly in its inactivekposition. For this purpose a notch 35 is formed in the member 24 between its pivot 28 and the lug 26 into which the projection 27 may extend.

Th-eaction of the spring 34 and the member in vyieldingly maintaining the member 23 iny its, inactive position permitsV the end 201of the tine to move past theV lug 26 as theztine is returned to its load-supporting position and means is provided on the member 23 adapted to be engaged by the tine in this movement to shift the member 23 to its active position. Y

This means, as shown in Figs.7 and 8, comprises a finger 36 projecting from the lmember 23in the same direction as the lus' 26 but from the opposite en-d'thereof beyon d the pivot 25. When the member 23 is in its inactive position (Fig. 8) the finger 36 projectsinto the path ofthe end 2O of the tine and movement ofthe tine acts to shift the member 23 in a clockwise direc-tion untithe projection 27 is moved out of the notch of theV member 24 and outwardly pastthe lug 29. The spring 32 thenvacts .to move the latch member 24 to the position Vshown in Fig. 'Tand'the tine kis' thereby fixed in its load-supporting position.

and the pivot 25 and arranged to be engaged by an angular surface 38 on the end 2O of the tine.

`The latch devices 13 of all four arms 11 are arranged for simultaneous release by means including a plurality of levers 40, one mounted on each of the arms 11 adjacent to the head 10 as shownin Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings. Each lever 40 is preferably in the form of a bell crank (Fig. 5) pivoted at 41 between the bars 17 with the short lever arm projecting downwardly toward the latch device and connected to the free end of the latch member 24 by flexible means such as a chain 42.

direction from the arm l1 and is adapted to head 10 to release its latch 13.

Simultaneous operation of all four levers 40`is obtained by movement of the trip rope 14 throughy the medium of a plurality of interconnected iiexible members operatively connected tok the rope 14 and the various levers. In the preferred form shown, a pair of parallel rollers 44 (Fig. are secured in brackets on the lower side of the head 10 adjacent the edges thereof. As best shown in Fig. 6, a flexible member vsuch as a chain 45 has its opposite ends connected to the outwardly projecting lever arms of two acent The other lever'arm of each bell cranl: e normally projects transversely in an outward levers 40, and thev bight ofthe chain 45 is i.

drawn over the roller 44 on the opposite side of the head 10. A second iiexible member 46 is similarly connected to the other two levers a ring 48 slidable on the chain 47, an equalizl l ing connection is provided whereby ally of the latches 13 may be released simultaneously by actuation of the trip rope 14 from substantially any direction which it may assume in the normal use of the fork.

f. l Since the latches 13 may be released with a minimum amount of force, the present fork may be utilized efficiently in distributing the hay on the stack or rack. Thus the fork may be swung by the operator from its normal po.-

sition directly below the track, and the load may be released while the fork is in anangiu lar position over the side of the stacl.

In the form of head construction shown in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings, two spaced triangular plates 50 are secured together in spaced relation by bolts 51 extending through spacers 52 adjacent to the corners of the plates. About one bolt 51 a link 53 extends whereby the head may be suspended, whilethe four arms 11 are connected to 'the head by the other two bolts 51. The connection of the arms 11 is provided by clamping a link 54 about each end of each bolt 51 between the head and nut thereof and the adjacent plate 50 as shown in Fig. 11. To each link 54 is connected a. pair of links 55, the lower one of which may be connected to one of the arms 11 in any preferred manner as by extending the link through a transverse opening in the arm. The use of a plurality of links for connecting each arm to the head provides for the desired rotational movement of the arms about their longitudinal axis.

To operate the latches 13 of the arms, a lever 56 is pivoted between the plates at 57 and a plurality of chains 5S are connected ec centrically thereto so that one chain 58 may be operatively connected to each latch 13, as for example, through the medium of the levers '-10. The lever 5G is operated to release the latch devices 13 by a flexible member 59 connected to the end of the lever 56 and extending over the roller GO mounted between the plate 50 above the lever.

The form of head shown in Figs. l() and 1l is such that the fork may easily be changed to a two-tine fork by removing two of the arms l1, and connecting the other two links 54 to their bolts 51 between the two plates 50.

Such twotine forks are usually used with long hay, but are also capable of being utilized with a draw carrier to lift unusually large loads of hay. Thus by providing an extra head, the user may form two two-tine forks for mounting on the looped rope of a draw carrier in the well-known manner. Vhen so used an arrangement of flexible trip elements such as that shown in Fig. G may be provided, it being understood that the equivalent of one roller 14: (for example a ring) would be mounted on the bottom of the head of each fork.

The present form of fork is especially advantageous when used with a draw carrier since the operation of and stresses upon the elements are substantially the same in such cases as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention provides a drop-tine hay fork, which, due to the mounting of the arms for limited rotational movement, is capable of lifting loads of greatly varying sizes, and is adapted for clearing the bottom of the rack.

It will also be seen that the latch devices may be'released by a comparatively small force exerted on the trip rope whereby to adapt the fork for use with heavy loads.

Inclaim as my invention:

1. A drop-,tine hay fork comprising, in combination, a head, aplurality of arms each having a tine pivoted at one end thereof, means latching said tines in transversely extending load-supporting positions on said arms, and means pivotally connecting the other ends of said arms to said head arranged to permit limited rotational movement of said arms about their longitudinal axes.

2. A drop-tine hay fork comprising, in combination, a head, a plurality of arms each having a tine pivoted at one end thereof, means latching said tines in transversely extending load-supporting positions on said arms, and means swivelably connecting said other arms to said head arranged to permit adjustment of the arms about vertical as well as horizontal axes.

3. A drop-tine hay fork com arising, in combination, a head, a plurality oi arms each having a tine pivoted at one end thereof, means latching said tines in transversely extending load-supporting positions on said arms, and means swivelably connecting said other arms to said head arranged to permit adjustment of the arms about vertical as Well as horizontal axes, and also to permit limited rotational movement ot said arms about their longitudinal axes.

Al. A drop-tine rhay fork comprising, in combination, a plate adapted to be suspended in vertical position, a pair of arms swivelably connect-ed to said plate adjacent one lower corner thereof, another pair of arms swivelably connected to the other lower corner of said plate, a plurality of tines one pivotally connected to the other end ot each of said arms, latching means for securing said tines in laterally extending relation to said arms, a lever pivoted on said plate, and a plurality of flexible elements one connected to the latching means on each of said arms and also connected to said lever for simultaneous movement with said lever.

5. In a hay fork of the character described, the combinationk of a pair of triangular plates, means securing said plates together in spaced relation, said means including a bolt extending through each corner of the plates, four arms, means securing one arm swivelably to each projecting end of two of said bolts, tines pivoted to the arms, latches for holding said tin es in load-supporting position, a pivoted lever' mounted between said plates, and a plurality of iexible members connecting all of said latches to said lever for simultaneous operation thereby.

6. In a drop-tine hay fork, the combination of an arm, a tine pivoted to the end of the arm and means for releasably holding kthe tine in a load-supporting position, said means comprising a first movable latch member on lsaid arm arranged in its active position to engage said tine so as to receive from said tine a force tending to move said latch member to its .inactive position, and a second latch member pivoted to saidlarm and adapted in one position to engage said first latch member to receive therefrom a force directed toward the pivotal axis of said sec- Jui.

Lit.

f arm and means for releasably holding the CTI tine in a load-supporting position, saidmeans comprising a first movable latch member on said arm arranged in its active position to engage said tine so as to receive from saidv tine a force tending to move said latch member to its inactive position, and a second latch member pivoted to said arm and adapted in one position to engage said first latch member to receive therefrom a force directed to- Ward the pivotal axis of said second latch member so as to maintain said first latch member in its active position, said second latch member being arranged in another position to engage said first latch member and yieldingly maintain the same in its inactive position.

8. In a drop-tine hay fork, the combination of an arm, a tine pivoted to one end of said arm and means for releasably holding said tine in a load-supporting position, said means comprising a first latch member pivoted on said arm and arranged in its active position to engage said tine so as to receive therefrom a force tending to pivot said member to its inactive position, and a second movable latch member on said arm adapted in one position to engage said first latch member to receive therefrom a force acting through a lever arm in said first member of substantially greater length than the lever arm in said first member through Which said first mentioned force acts whereby to maintain said first latch member in its active position.

9. In a drop-tine hay fork, the combination of an arm, a tine pivoted on one end of said arm, a first latch member pivoted on said arm and adapted in its active position to maintain said tine in a load-supporting position, a second latch member adapted in one position to engage said first latch member to maintain the same in its active position, means on said first latch member adapted to be engaged by said tine as it is moved toward its operative load-supporting position to shift said first latch member from its inactive position to its active position, and spring means acting to move said second latch member to the position wherein it maintains said first latch member in its active position. c

10. A drop-tine hay fork having, in combination, an arm, a tine pivoted on one end of said arm, and means to releasably hold said tine in a load-supporting position on said arm, said means comprising a first latch member movably mounted on said arm and adapted in its active position to engage said tine so as to receive a force from said tine tending to move said latch member to its inactive position, aksecond latch. 'member mounted on said armwadapted in one position to engage said `first latch member to hold they same in'its' active' position and inanother positionto hold saidfirst latch member yieldingly in its inactive position,and a Vspring acting on said second latch member to move thesame intoy operative relation with said first latch member.

11. A drop-tine hay fork having, in combination, an. arm, a pivoted on the end of said arm,A a" first latch member pivoted on said arm adapted in its active position to maintain sai .fl tine ina load-supporting position, said latch member being arranged to receive a force from said tine tending to move said latch member to its inactive position, means on said latch member adapted to be engaged by said tine as it is moved toward its operative load-supporting position to shift said latch member from its inactive position to its active position, releasable means acting positively to hold said latch in its active position, and means operable to f hold said latch member yieldingly in its inactive position.

12. In a drop-tine hay fork, the combination of an arm, a tine pivoted to one end of saidy arm, a first latch member pivoted on said arm and arranged in its active position to engage said tine to hold the same in its load-supporting position and receive therefrom a force tending to pivot said member to its inactive position, a second movable latch member mounted on said arm and adapted to engage said first latch member to hold the same in its active position and to receive therefrom a force acting through a lever arm in said first member of substantially greater length than the lever arm in said first member through which said first mentioned force acts, said latch members ben ing shaped to permitl disengagement of said second latch member While said first latch member and said tine remain stationary.

13. A drop-tine hay fork comprising, in combination, a plate adapted to be suspended in vertical position, a pair of arms each having one end svvivelably connected to said plate, a plurality of tines onek pivoted to the other endl of each of said arms, latching means for securing said tines in laterally eX- -tending relation to said arms, and means connected to said latching means and to said position, a second latch member adapted in one position to engage said first latch member to maintain the same in its active position, means on said first latch member adaptedtn be engagedby, said tneas it is moved towand its operative 1'oadsupportingT position. to shift. saidl first latch member from'r its inactfveiposition toits active positiomspring means tending to move said: second latch member to its active position, and spring means tendingy to move'said first latch member to itsvinactive position.

In testimony whereof,v Ifhave hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN N. GRABER. 

